A Free Community Education Event!
Join Friends of the Big Sioux River on Saturday, December 7th, at Augustana University for a captivating morning of discussion about PFAS, commonly called Forever Chemicals, in South Dakota’s waterways. A short reception at 9:00 AM will feature booths from local water and conservation organizations, along with light refreshments.
The program will officially begin at 9:30 AM with a presentation of FBSR’s 2024 Big Sioux River water quality testing data. Following this update, Tim Stefanich will give his keynote presentation titled, Forever Chemicals 101: What Are PFAS? This thought-provoking presentation will provide an overview of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), their history, and the operational challenges involved in detecting and removing them.
A closer examination of PFAS in our region will be explored during Sammi Blood’s keynote presentation titled, PFAS in the Sioux Falls Region. Special focus will be placed on municipal and private well contamination at Joe Foss Field, where firefighting foam containing PFAS was used from the 1970s to 2018 by the Air National Guard. New EPA regulations surrounding PFAS in drinking water and the State’s plans for PFAS testing and removal will also be discussed.
A short audience Q&A session will follow the presentations. All community members are invited to attend this free event.
Program Agenda
9:00 AM – Reception with light refreshments and booths featuring local water & conservation organizations
9:30 AM – Welcome
9:40 AM – The State of Our River: An Overview of the 2024 FBSR Water Quality Testing Data
10:05 AM – Keynote Presentation Forever Chemicals 101: What Are PFAS?, presented by Tim Stefanich
10:25 AM – Keynote Presentation: PFAS in the Sioux Falls Region, presented by Sammi Blood
10:50 AM – Audience Q&A and Program Wrap-Up
Thank you to the Office of Sustainability and the Environmental Studies Program at Augustana University for sponsoring this event.
